Are we treating God like a problem-solving machine?
God is not a winning machine where we input rituals of worship and get the results of success. He is a loving person who responds [...]
From the eyes of doubt to the eyes of faith
Doubt sees the difficulties life has brought us to: faith sees the difficulties God has brought us through. When we are faced with difficulties, especially [...]
Healthy relationship with food: Three parameters
Eating is one of life’s most essential and enjoyable activities. It’s essential because we cannot sustain our bodies, and we can't even survive if we [...]
Be upright, not uptight; be gentle, but not fickle
To be upright means to have high moral integrity and resistance to temptation or corruption. On the other hand, to be uptight means to be [...]
Are we dismissing as problems the people who point out problems?
Just because people dismiss those who point out problems by labeling them as the problem doesn’t eliminate the problems; it exacerbates them. When we are [...]
Fostering a healthy relationship between our higher and lower selves
Suppose a parent and child were walking together, and the child slipped and fell. Naturally, the parent would help the child up and encourage [...]
Balancing fear and hope in our relationship with ourselves
When considering our relationship with ourselves, it’s essential to recognize both our potential for great positive change and our capacity for self-sabotage. While no [...]
A pragmatic approach to facing life’s reversals
When faced with reversals in life, it is natural to question, Why is this happening to me? While it is important to use our intelligence [...]
Cultivating a healthy relationship with ourselves
We often emphasize the importance of healthy relationships with others, but even more crucial is having a healthy relationship with ourselves. In a healthy relationship, [...]
Safeguarding intelligence from corruption by lower desires
Our intelligence is designed to counter our lower desires, not to serve them. However, we all have desires that can bring out the worst in [...]
Detachment: Gaining flexibility and perspective
Attachments often make us rigid in ways that are curious, as we become inflexible about things that aren’t particularly important. For example, we might [...]
Combating addiction: Recognizing the battle within
Whenever someone is abducted, the abductor demands a ransom for the person’s release. The most fiendish abductors, however, continually increase their ransom without ever releasing [...]
How to see our inner darkness and see beyond the inner darkness
We all have dark desires within us—selfish, manipulative, and even abusive tendencies. If neglected, these desires can ambush us and drag us down, making us [...]
Gita 02.22 – Explanation from Bhakti Shastri Class
BG 2.22 vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya navani grihnati naro 'parani tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany anyani samyati navani dehi SYNONYMS vasamsi -- garments; jirnani -- [...]
Analyzing why we succumb to temptation
Suppose a person were caught by the traffic police for speeding. If it was the first time that person was apprehended and they claimed that [...]
The balance of intelligence: Avoiding overestimation and underestimation
When it comes to intelligence, we often lean toward either overestimating or underestimating our cognitive abilities. Both tendencies can lead to challenges that [...]
Gita perspective on organ donation
The Bhagavad-Gita perspective on organ donation The Bhagavad-Gita and the Vedic texts, in general, do not provide a specific directive about organ donation. However, they [...]
The dual defenses against self-destructive impulses
Whenever we struggle with conditionings that impel us toward actions we know we shouldn't do, two defense mechanisms can protect us: conscience and intelligence. Conscience [...]
Overcoming self-consciousness with a focus on higher purpose
Whenever we become excessively self-conscious, we tend to worry too much about how others see us, what they think about us, and what they might [...]
Understanding the role of limitations
We all face limitations in life. These include natural limits, such as the finiteness of our lifespan and capacities, as well as cultural or societal [...]
Balancing authenticity and service: Navigating inner-outer differences
We all have weaknesses that sometimes lead to lapses in self-discipline and spirituality. For those in visible leadership roles within communities striving for high moral [...]